Obituaries for week of 2-6-08

.Ella Aguilar Warm Springs resident Ella Aguilar died Jan. 27, 2008, at her home. She was 74. Mrs. Aguilar was born Jan. 21, 1934, in White Rock, Utah, to parents Lester and Rebecca (Anthony) Kurip. On Dec. 25, 1955, she married George Aguilar Sr., at the Indian Mission in Tacoma, Wash. They moved to Warm Springs in 1955 and there she was a homemaker and mother. She is survived by her husband, George Aguilar Sr. of Warm Springs; children, Easton Aguilar, Ralph Aguilar, and Rebekah Main, all of Warm Springs, George Aguilar Jr. of Madras; sister, Mintora Kurip Frank of Utah; 21 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one brother. Funeral services were held Feb. 1, at the Full Gospel Church in Warm Springs. Burial followed at the Agency Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Bel-Air Colonial Funeral Home of Madras. . . (PHOTO?)Dave Ashwill Madras resident Dave Ashwill died New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2008, at the age of 61. Mr. Ashwill was born May 5, 1946, in Forest Grove to parents Melvin and Betty (Vasey) Ashwill. He grew up in McMinnville and graduated from Mac High School in 1964. He attended Linfield College and Oregon State University. He was drafted to serve in the conflict in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969, after which he settled in Madras. On July 28, 1984, he and Cyndie Wiles were married in Madras. While working with some of the areas's best carpenters, he formed Ashwill Construction, which he operated for over 30 years. Mr. Ashwill enjoyed books, doing research in the areas of ethnobotany and wild edibles, and had a special love of music. He was an avid football fan. He loved his family, and all children, who responded lovingly to him. Survivors include his wife, Cyndie Ashwill of Madras; children, Heather and Reid Ashwill, both of Ashland; his father, Melvin Ashwill of Madras; sisters, Beverley Ashwill of Eugene and Leslie Wilson of Madras; and brother, Forest Ashwill of Oakridge. He was preceded in death by his mother, Betty Ashwill. A celebration of his life and musical tribute will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Mount Jefferson Rifle, Archery, and Pistol Association facility at 2209 N.W. Clackamas Drive in Madras. Friends of the Ashwills have established a Dave Ashwill Memorial Fund to assist the Ashwills' two children as they continue to pursue their higher education goals. Contributions can be made at the Columbia River Bank in Madras. Arrangements are under the direction of Bel-Air Colonial Funeral Home of Madras. . .Ken Foster Former Madras resident Ken Foster died Jan. 27, of a massive heart attack. He was 71. Mr. Foster was born July 25, 1936, in Yakima, Wash., to parents Paul E. and Elsie M. Foster. He grew up in the Culver and Madras areas, graduating from Madras Union High School in 1954. In 1956, he married Sandra McKay of Antelope. Their five children were born while they lived in Madras. He served as the city of Madras fire chief in the early 1960s. In 1965, he took a job with The Dalles Fire Department. Then he moved with his family to Beaverton when he was hired in 1968 as the training officer for what then was Washington County Fire District No. 1. After a long career in firefighting, he retired from Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue as the assistant fire chief in 1990. Survivors include his wife, Sandra Foster of Beaverton; sons, Don Foster of Tigard, Dave Foster of Yamhill, and Bob Foster of Corbett; daughters, Sue Montero of St. Helens, and Deb Volker of Portland; sister, Audry Waters of Yakima, Wash.; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m., Feb. 7, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Tigard. . . (PHOTO)Bert Matthews A memorial campfire and potluck for Bert Matthews, who passed away Jan. 17, at the age of 91, will be held from noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 9, at the South Shore Campground at Haystack Reservoir. All friends and relatives are invited to help celebrate his life at this event. Bring a side dish, lawn chairs, warm clothes, your favorite beverage and pictures and stories of Bert. In the event of inclement weather, the celebration will be moved to the Round Butte Inn in Culver. For more information contact Bill at 815-3188 or Berdi at 815-1872. . .Emily Waheneka Warm Springs resident Emily Waheneka died Jan. 28, 2008, at Mountain View Living Center at the age of 88. Mrs. Waheneka was born Feb. 11, 1919, in Simnasho, to parents George Henning and Annie Tewee. She married Grant Waheneka, who preceded her in death. She was a lifetime resident of Warm Springs and an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. She was a homemaker and mother, who enjoyed all the traditional ways of the Indian people. Survivors include her sons, Dolan and Sterling Waheneka of Warm Springs; and brother, Harrison Davis Sr. of Warm Springs. She was preceded in death by two children, a brother, and a sister. Dressing ceremonies were held Jan. 30, at the Simnasho Longhouse, followed by overnight services. Burial was Jan. 31, at the Mouth of the Warm Springs River Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Bel-Air Colonial Funeral Home of Madras. . . (PHOTO)Roylene Ward Roylene M. Ward died peacefully at home of cancer on Jan. 25, 2008. She was 78. Mrs. Ward was born Nov. 21, 1929, in Roseburg, to parents Francis and Melinda Daniel, and was the youngest of four children. She grew up in Roseburg and Dillard, then moved to Sweet Home as a teenager. There, she met Clifford Eugene "Gene" Ward and they were married in 1952. The couple moved to Madras in 1955 where they remained for 50 years. Mrs. Ward enjoyed cooking, gardening, music, sewing and crochet. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, and she never forgot a birthday. Survivors include, her children, Debi Michel (and husband Paul) of Hillsboro, Cathy Lanz (Carl) of Medford, and Martha Ward, also of Medford; five grandchildren, Tyler and Bonnie Michel of Portland, Ben Michel of Portland, and Amanda and Sarah Pruden of Medford; and three siblings, Francis "Bud" Daniel of Bend, Winifred Mullin of Albany and Dorothy Cole of Boise, Idaho. She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Gene Ward. A memorial service will be held in the early spring.